Maybe it’s the length of the two-and-a-half hours practices or maybe it’s just a product of the intensity the first-year coaching staff wants to see, but a pair of scuffles broke out toward the end of Wednesday’s mini-camp workout inside the bubble at the Dolphins training facility.

Left guard Richie Incognito was in the middle of the first, and it took several players to pull him away from backup defensive end Ryan Baker. The second featured Jake Long and rookie defensive end Olivier Vernon. Long calmed down quickly.

Incognito, of course, has a history of losing his temper, though he hasn’t done so in a game in quite awhile. Last year he did get into it with rookie defensive lineman Frank Kearse in a confrontation that was still bubbling when the two reached the locker room after practice ended.

Coach Joe Philbin said he was happy with the intensity that led to the altercations but not so happy they occurred, noting that the next time it happens could be in a game and result in a drive-stopping 15-yard penalty.

“I wasn’t very happy we lost two players in a drill,” Philbin said. “That can be a critical time in a game. You have to be able to keep your poise and play. It’s great to be tough, it’s great to be physical.

“I went up to the defensive staff briefly and told them I want to watch the film and have them tell me what they think happened. It’s 15 yards, loss of down, clock, all those things. So yeah, there was good competitiveness, but you’ve got to be smart.”

No one could remember the last time two such scuffles occurred in one workout, which prompted Philbin to reiterate how important it is not to let one’s emotions get the best of him.

“It happens. I don’t know that’s one thing I’ve kept track of. You want good competition, you want the guys to play hard, but be smart. You have to protect one another, especially with no pads; you have to protect one another at all times. We don’t have the luxury of importing guys left and right. We have to be smart, use good judgment. It’s a physical game, there are going to be injuries, even in practice. We don’t want them to happen, but they’re going to happen. Overall our guys have done an excellent job. We’re going to have to watch the tape to see who provoked the situation that happened today.”

Slot receiver Davone Bess had an excellent practice, making several catches including a one-handed grab on a seam route over the middle, and tight end/H-back Charles Clay also stood out. Defensively, Sean Smith made a nice play to break up a Matt Moore pass intended for Chad Ochocinco in the corner of the end zone.

Matt Moore got almost all the work at quarterback with the first unit and hit 7-of-8 passes in one segment, two of them checkdowns to Clyde Gates and another bomb to Ochocinco. Long was flagged for one of the two motion penalties in the segment.

Ryan Tannehill is scheduled to work with the first unit Thursday in the final session of the mini-camp, after which the team won’t come together until the start of training camp in late July.